ENIGMATIC • 𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄

LXXXII. I Must Not Tell Lies

I watch as a Parvati sets off a paper bird, it flutters around and almost lands on lavanders head but was lifted back into the air as she blew on it, lifting it back into the air.

"Go on, Seamus! Get it!" Someone chants as seamus hits the bird, making it fly over  the chandler.

Goyle hits the bird with something as it falls over, making the class laugh in amusement.

Suddenly, it burns to a crisp as it lands right back onto Parvati's desk. The class goes silent as I look over at umbridge who had a sickening smile on her face as she lowers her wand.

"Good morning, children." She announces as everyone turns back to face the witch.

"Ordinary wizarding level examinations." She says as the words write themselves on the boards. "O-W-L's. More commonly known as OWLs. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe."

She chuckles as she then points her wand at the books behind her as they fly onto our desks.

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But youll be pleased to know from now on, you will be following a carefully structured, ministry-approved course of defense magic. Yes?" She grins as Hermione pauses, looking up at her.

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells." Hermione explains as umbridge looks at her with an amused grin.

"Using spells?" She laughs as she walks towards Hermione. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom!"

"We're not going to use magic?" A hufflepuff murmurs as umbridge faces the boy.

"You will be leading about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way." She explains as Harry looks at her in confusion.

"What use is that? If we're going to be attacked it won't be very risk-free, now would it?" I remark with a glare at the woman as she turns around.

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class." She demands harshly as I glare at the woman.

"It is the view of the ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which, after all, is what school is all about!" She explains happily as I scoff.

"Really? Now tell me, how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" I ask in annoyance as she smiles at me.

"There's is nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine would want to attack children, liek yourself?" She asks as I pause, glaring at the woman.

She's edging me on.. she knows what I would've said if I acted rationally.

"Fenrir greyback." I state as she pauses, clearly stunned. "He targets mainly children, does he not?"

"Well—" she starts but was cut off again as i grin cockily.

"What about uncaptured death eaters? Plus there are many of wild animals such as acromantulas, basilisks, dragons, and the list goes on! Hell, what about just normal dark wizards and witches! Just because you think Voldemort isnt back, doesn't mean there aren't threats to the wizarding world still." I explain as everyone goes silent, glancing at eachother in agreement.

"Detention miss potter! No speaking back to a professor like this again!" She snaps as Harry quickly goes to my defense but was stopped when umbridge glared at him. "Detention to you too mr potter!"

———

I watch sigh as I walk down the hallway to umbridge's office, Harry right next to me.

We knock on the door as I hear meowing and a teacup being placed down.

"Come in." She answers as we slowly open the door, revealing a bright pink room which had plates with the picture of cats all over the walls. "Good evening, potters."

"Sit." She says as we walk towards the desk, sitting in the two chairs in the front of her desk. "You two will be doing some lines for me today, potters."

We go to grab our quills as she stops us, "no not with your quills. You're going to be using a rather special one of mine."

She grabs the quills as she puts them infront of us. "Now... I want you two to write... 'I must not tell lies.'"

"How many times?" I drawl boredly as she hums with a grin.

"Well, let's say... as long as it takes for the message to sink in." She explains with a smile before turning away.

"You haven't given us any ink." Harry interrupts us as she turns back.

"Oh, you won't be needing any ink." She exclaims with a rather sinister grin as I roll my eyes, grabbing the quill as me and Harry start to write the words.

I must not tell lies

I write the line once and as I'm in the middle of writing it a second time, my breath gets caught in my throat as I hold my hand in pain.

I look down to see the skin tearing itself open, the words I had just written appearing on my hand as I glance over to see Harry's hand had done the same.

Harry gasps in pain as umbridge glances over at us.

Umbridge walks over to the two of us, glancing at us gleefully. "Yes?"

"Nothing." I murmur as she smiles at the two of us.

"That's right. Because you both know, deep down, you deserve to be punished." She explains with a smile as she leans on the desk, looking at the two of us. "Don't you, mr and miss potter?"

I bite down the snarky comment that threatened to escape my lips as I simply glare down at my hand.

"Go on."